Whatever you think of the news, you can’t deny that Big Sam is one of the biggest characters in the game – and he’s got some great stories to tell too.

Joey Barton told one of the best stories about Sam we’ve ever heard in his book No Nonsense: The Autobiography, and it’s well worth revisiting after yesterday’s news.

The story, which was unearthed on Twitter by journalist Nick Miller, reads: “I met Sam Allardyce, and liked his vision of a team that matched pace with solidity, passion with gumption.”

Image Getty/Dave Thompson

Speaking about Sam’s time at Preston, Joey added: “Sam featured in Chappy’s Preston promotion team, and entered club folk-lore when he lost a sumo wrestling match against Ronnie Hildersley, a slightly built midfield player who began at City, on the beach in a post-season lads’ holiday in Spain.”

He went on: “Apparently an arresting sight in a thong, and basted in suntan lotion, Sam was buried up to his neck in the sand as a forfeit while his team-mates played punk rock, which he hated, on the team’s oversized ghetto blaster.

“He became so hungry he ate 11 friend eggs in a single sitting when he was released.”

Sam was left with egg on his face following last night’s (September 27) news, after being secretly filmed claiming he can “get around” rules on transfers.

He lost his job after just 67 days in charge – the shortest in the history of the national team by some distance.